Sawt Falasteen - China critic Takaichi joins party race, could become Japan's first woman leader

Takaichi, seen among the favourites in the race, will be up against popular agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who is expected to formally declare his candidacy on Friday.

They aim to succeed moderate Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as the head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a partyroom vote slated for October 4.

"What we need now is politics that transforms people's daily lives and anxieties about the future into hopes and dreams," Takaichi said in a brief media address to announce her run on Thursday.

"And it is also strong politics that will overcome the crisis Japan faces," she said.

Takaichi, 64, is a staunchly hawkish leader who has advocated for a conservative social agenda and robust national defence programmes.

On the economic front, she has pushed big government spending and low interest rates that echo policies of her political mentor, the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

She was also a regular visitor to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan's war dead, including war criminals, and is seen by Asian nations as a symbol of Japan's militarist past.

On China, she has been vocal of Beijing's military build-up in the Asia-Pacific region.

Takaichi has run in past LDP leadership elections, coming second to Ishiba last year.

- Biggest rival -

Three men have already formally declared their candidacy in the party vote, including Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, a soft-speaking moderate known for his policy knowledge.

But Takaichi's biggest political rival is Koizumi, 44, who also often goes to Yasukuni and is the telegenic son of former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi.

Whoever wins the internal contest will have been chosen from the viewpoint of who can best "revive the LDP and lead it to election victories", Junichi Takase, professor emeritus of Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, told AFP.

With major political parties, including the LDP, "recognised as old parties and struggling to gain support from young voters", LDP members are likely to prioritise a candidate's election savvy over their specific policies, Takase said.

Japanese news agency Jiji Press's opinion polls released on Thursday showed that Koizumi was the public's top candidate for the premiership, with Takaichi running a close second.

The leader of the ruling party can become the prime minister if they receive enough support from opposition parties to form a legislative majority, which is needed to take the top political seat.

The LDP decided to hold the election after Ishiba announced this month that he would step down after losing two national elections in the past year.

O.Salim--SF-PST